Lather-applying safety razors



Nov. 25, 1958 E. R. BOLAND 2,861,338

LATHER-APPLYING SAFETY RAZORS Filed Sept. 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Edward/f 30/422/ 'iww Nov. 25, 1958 E. R. BOLAND 'LATHER-APPLYING SA'FETY RAZORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 20, 1955 INVENTOR. [if/4220330141212 United States Patent Qfifi 2,861,338 LATER-APPLYING SAFETYRAZORS Edward R. Boland, Boston, Mass. 7. I

Application September 20, 1955, Serial No. 535,382 2 Claims. (c1. 30-41 This invention relates to improvements in lathering safety razors. More particularly the invention provides improved lathering means on or attachable to a safety razor for effecting more efiicient application and utilization of shaving cream as compared with prior lathering proposals. The invention operates. on a cream-conserv- -ing principle whereby a relatively small amount of shaving cream, or the like, initially deposited on the lathering means, is repeatedly collected and re-applied to' the skin throughout any shaving process, with said initial deposit of cream serving the lathering requirements of theentire shaving process.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a razor and lathering combination wherein roller means operates within a collector chamber adjacent toa' sha v ing edge of the razor with the roller means" positioned for contacting the skin in advance of the shavingedge in the shaving process and with the collector chamber arranged and adapted to collect lather and moisture scraped from the skin in the shaving process, the lather and moisture mixing in the collector chamber to maintain a collected supply of lather of proper consistency for'etfective repeated re-applications by the roller means to the skin as the shaving process proceeds. a a 7 Another object of the invention is to provide a razor and lathering combination wherein a sectional roller has its sections individually rotatable on a common axis within a lather-collecting chamber located adjacent to and in advance of a shaving edge of the razor, whereby said collector chamber collects lather scraped from the skin in the shaving process, and said sectional roller, or one or more sections thereof, engages and rolls over the skin to repeatedly re-apply lather from the collector chamber to the skinas the shaving process proceeds.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lathering attachment for safety razors which readily and quickly may be mounted in operative relation to a shaving edge of a conventional safety razor for collecting lather scraped from the skin in the shaving process and for'repeatedly re-applying the colccted lather to the'skin as the shaving process proceeds. It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve the structure and efliciency of safety'razors having lathering means associated with. a shaving edge thereof, and especially such razors wherein roller means operates within a lather collecting chamber for"r'epe at-' edly re-applying collected lather to the skin in a shaving process.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an edge elevational view of a lathering safety razor embodying features of the invention and showing the general disposition of the razor in service;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the razor of Fig. ing at that side having the lathering means;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2, on a larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lathering unit of Figs. 1-3, separated from the razor;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing a slightly modifi'ed form of lathering unit clipped to a conventional single edge type of safety razor;

1 look- 2,861,338 Patented Nov. 25, 1958 Fig. 6 is a front elevation Fig. 5, per se;

Fig. 7 is a view generally similar to Fig. 5 but-showing another slightly modified form of lathering unit clipped to a different conventional style of single edge razor; I r

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of Fig. 7, per se;

Fig. 9 is a view generally similar to Figs. 5 and 7 but showing still another modification of the lathering unit mounted on a third variety of conventional single edge razor; and 4 Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the lathering unit of Fig. 9, per se.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is represented in Figs. 1-3 associated with one conventional doubleedge variety of safety razor having a head indicated generally at 10 on one end of the handle 12.

According to the invention, a collecting. trough or chamber indicated generally at 14 has roller means16 mounted therein with a substantial portion of the roller means exposed. The roller means 16 and the :trough or chamber 14 may be mounted on the razor by any suitable means with the rollermeans disposed in spaced relation to and in advance of one shaving edge portion of the head 10, in position to engage androll overfthe skin during a shaving process. The trough or chamber 14 is adapted and positioned to collect lather as it is scraped from the skin in the shaving process, and the collected lather is repeatedly re-applied to the skin vby the roller means 16 as the shaving'process proce'edsQ In Figs. 1-4, the roller means 16 and the troughor chamber 14 are represented as a unit designed to be removably attached to the razor handle 12 by means of the resilient clip 18. The trough or chamber 14 is defined by the generally right-angularly related walls 20, 22, and the end walls 24, 26 which support a rod or shaft 28 on which the roller means 16 may be rotatably mounted. The roller means may be a single relatively long roller if desired but, preferably, will consist of a plurality or series of roller sections 16' of which .four sections are represented in Figs. 2 and 4. Desirably, each roll section will be of a suitable resiliently soft material, such as gum rubber, or a synthetic or plastic material having resilient softness comparable to gum rubber. Each roller section has a separate bearing bushing 17 on the shaft or rod 28, and the bushings and roll sections should have a suitable amount of looseness and play to ensure against binding or sticking of the roller sections in use. L

The trough or chamber wall 20 has substantial length and, after the unit has been clipped on the razor handle 12, the free end of this wall 20 may be thrust into engagement with a wall of the razorhead, as best seen in Fig. 3, by sliding the unit along the handle 12. This brings the trough and roller means into proper operative relation to a shaving edge portion of the razor head 10.

of the lathering unit of the lathering unit of It is a feature of the invention that only a relatively small initial deposit C of shaving cream, or the like, deposited along the roller means 16 may serve for an entire shave, thereby to effect a substantial saving in shaving cream. Perhaps more important, however, is the fact that a more eflicient and satisfactory shavemay be had using the unit of the invention, as compared with prior practices and devices, without the trouble and messiness of applying lather to the skin preliminarily to shaving. The invention makes this pre-lathering unnecesary. The face, or other part to be shaved, desirably should be washed with soap and water, followed by rinsing. With the skin left relatively. moist, the shaving process may begin. Assuming that a deposit C of cream has been placed along the roller means 16, the

shaving process may proceed in the usual way with the chamber and in the notching of the free end of the wall roller means 16 engaging and applyingcreamtothe -skin-- in advance of the shaving edge, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and with the trough or chamber 14 in position to collect thelather as it is scraped'from-the skin in the shaving process. j

Inasmuch as the skinpreferablywillbejin' a-rnoistened condition, an appreciable amount of moistureis scraped from the skin along with the cream or-lather-Witl'l the result that the lather which is being collected in trough or chamber 14 constantly is maintained in a condition to be effectively picked up by the roller means lfi ffor re-application to the skin over and over as the shaving process proceeds. Themoisturewhich constantly is'being scraped from the-moist skin and added to the lather in the trough or chamber 14 maintains an efficientconsistency of the collected and reapplied lather. The lather tends to flow as it is scraped from the skin so that it readily enters the collector trough or chamber 14, under the urge of roller means 16, rather than clinging to andtending to clog the shaving edge portion of the razor. Also, this constant adding of moisture to the collected lather conditions the lather for easy and efiicient cleaning of the razor and lathering unit by inserting the assemblage into a stream of water, preferably after sliding the lathering -unit along the handle 12 away from razor head 10.

The lathering means desirably will be of non-corrosive materials and, when the means is in the form of a unit. attachable to and removable from conventional varieties of safety razors, as herein shown, the lathering unit mayhave size and contours for being accommodated within anyparticular conventional variety of safety razor case.

It will be apparent that the herein described lathering means or unit does not interfere with opening and closing of the razor head for insertion and removal of blades, and does not interfere with customary manipulations of the razor in any shaving process, excepting that shaving of the upper lip should be accomplished by cross-strokes of the razor rather than by up and down strokes, inasmuch as it is not feasible to operate the roller-applicator over the upper lip and under the nose unless the motion is transversely of the face.

Also, it should be noted that the: disposition of the roller means along the shaving edge, in predetermined spaced relation thereto, tends to stabilize shaving strokes of the razor thereby minimizing the likelihood of cutting or knicking the skin in the process of shaving.

Referring more particularly to Figs. -10, the lathering unit of the Figs. 1-4 embodiment requires but slight modification to adapt it for operative association with any of the conventional single edge varieties of safety razors.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a modified form of lathering unit clipped (in Fig. 5) to one conventional style of single edge safety razor, the unit being generally the same as that of the Figs. 1-4 form with a slightly different relationship of the attaching clip 18 and with the free end portion of the trough or chamber wall 21) shaped at 21 to enter a frame opening which is present in thehead of the razor of Fig. 5. The end walls 24 26 of the Figs. 5 and 6 unit extend closer to the free edge of wall 20 as compared with the Figs. 1-4 embodiment. Also, an extension part 20 on the lathering unit of Figs. 5 and 6 projects a substantial distance beyond wall 22 in direction away from the razor head, and clip 18*, which may be similar to clip 18, is mounted at the free end portion of extension part 20 in position to resiliently grip the handle of the razor shown in Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 show another slightly modified form of lathering unit clipped (in Fig. 7) on the handle .ofa second varietv f c n entiona in l ed"e r z r. .Here again, the modifications, as compared with the Figs. 1-4 unit, are in the relationship of the clip to the trough or 20, as at 21', for entering spaced slots in a frame part of the head of the razor shown in Fig. 7. In this case, the clip 18 is secured to the unit wall 20 behind the sections 16' of the roller means 16, in position to resiliently engage around handle portions of the razor of Fig. 7.

The single edge variety of razor as shown in Figs. 9 and 210 .has :a' centrally disposed generally U-shaped member 30 thereonto which ,the'illustrated lathering unit conveniently may be clipped by a clip 32 on wall 20 which may engage 'backof member 30 when the lathering unit is forced away from the eye in Fig. 9 in the direction of the axis of the roll means 16 to its operative position of Fig. 9. The free end of wall 20 is shaped generally the same as ,in the .Figs. 5 and 6 embodiment. Clip 32 is of the well known pocket clip variety secured at one end to unit wall 20, as .at 33, .and having its resilient body portion ,in spaced general parallelism with wall 20, so-that member 30 can enter between wall 20 andsaid resilient body portionof the clip.

Each of thelathering unitsof the Figs. 5-10 embodiments, when removed from-their respective razors, are suitable for arrangement in available space within the conventional cases for the illustrated razors.

Although the shaving cream C initially applied to the roller-applicator may be of any variety capable of providing a suitable vlather on the skin, it is desirable and recommended that one of the so-called brushless varieties of shaving cream be employed for best results.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in'the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

I claim asmy invention: I

1. In a safety razor having a head portion -for holding a razor blade and a handle on which said head portionis mounted, a lather-collecting receptacle having one side open toward said head, said receptacle removably mounted on said handle and movable along said handle in directions toward and from said head portion, roller means rotatably mounted in said receptacle at the open side thereof, said receptacle having a wall portion for engaging said head portion of the razor when the receptacle is moved toward said head portion thereby to stop the receptacle with its open side in a position to receive lather scraped from the skin by the razor blade in a shaving process, said roller means constituting a lather applicator for rolling over the skin in advance ofthe shaving edge of the razor blade in said shaving process and for picking up lather collected in said receptacle and re-applying it repeatedly to the skin as said shaving process proceeds.

2. A lathering attachment for safety razors, comprising a generally trough-shapedreceptacle having a bottom wall, a side wall and two end walls, and having one side open roller means rotatably mounted within said re: ceptacle with a surface portion exposed at said open side thereof, said roller means having bearings in said end walls, and clip means on one of said walls for removablv mounting said receptacle on a safety razor with the said open side of the receptacle in lather-collecting relation to the shaving edge of the blade of the razor and with said roller means in spaced lather-applying relation to said shaving edge of the razor blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 543,348 Naumann July 23, 1895 1,288,869 Ganzhorn Dec. 24, 1918 1,513,648 Sprigg Oct. 28,1924 1,741,891 Vallon Dec. 31, 1929 1,777,691 Connolly Oct. 7, 1930 1,848,666 Schodlbauer Mar. 8, 1932 1,977,529 Schaanning Oct. 16, 1934 2,677,883 Schallgr'uber May 11, 1954 

